Maintenance
A simple reef maintenance schedule
The daily, weekly and monthly habits that keep a reef stable — kept realistic.
Overview
A healthy reef is built on small, consistent habits rather than occasional big efforts. Here's a realistic routine you can actually stick to — adjust it to your own tank and stocking.
Daily (a couple of minutes)
- Feed appropriately and watch the tank — a daily look is your best early-warning system.
- Check temperature and that pumps, heater and skimmer are running.
- Top up evaporation with fresh RO water (an auto top-off makes this effortless).
Weekly
- Test the key parameters — the safety trio while young, and alkalinity once you keep corals.
- Do a water change with properly mixed, matched-temperature saltwater.
- Empty and clean the skimmer cup; wipe the glass.
Monthly
- Clean pumps and powerheads so flow stays strong.
- Rinse or replace filter media/socks as needed.
- Check equipment for wear, and calibrate your refractometer.
Keep records
Jot down test results and anything you dose or change. A simple log makes it far easier to spot a slow drift before it becomes a problem — and to know what "normal" looks like for your tank.
Common mistakes
- Skipping small weekly water changes, then scrambling with big ones.
- Letting the skimmer cup overflow or clog.
- Topping up evaporation with saltwater and creeping the salinity up.